Until very recently, the norm in the Android world was that there was a very clear distinction in every aspect between the high-end, mid-range, and the entry-level, be it with regards to build quality, specifications, features, and sometimes even the version of the Android OS the device would be running. While the big names in Android fought hard in the high-end arena, smaller companies had the opportunity to make a name for themselves in the affordable smartphone segment.

This may be the status quo no longer, particularly in 2015, but there are still some good devices on offer from some lesser known brands. One such company is Hong Kong based NUU Mobile, with the company bringing an affordable, 4G LTE-enabled device intended for the US market. Does this smartphone manage to stand out in the ever-growing crowd? We find out, in this full review of the NUU Mobile Z8!

Design

As far as the design language is concerned, the NUU Mobile Z8 doesn’t stray too far from the standard, offering a familiar look and feel, albeit without an obvious inspiration. The glossy plastic rear cover comes with a faux metallic finish, that helps keep it resistant to fingerprints, and its tapered edges allows for the device to fit snugly in the hand. The back cover is a little difficult to remove though, which is a slight concern, given that you have to to access the microSD card slot, dual SIM card slots, and the replaceable battery. With a thickness of 9.4 mm and weighing 146 grams, the device does feel solid in the hand as well.

Looking around the device, the volume rocker and the power button are on the left and right sides respectively, and the buttons do offer a solid tactile feel when pressed. Considering the larger overall footprint of the device though, a slightly lower placement of the power button would have made for a better handling experience. The capacitive navigation keys are found below the display, and depending on which device you are switching from, the placement of the Recent Apps key on the left and back button on the right can take some getting used to. The headphone jack is up top, and the microUSB port can be found along the bottom of the right side.

An unique design aspect with the Z8 is the inclusion of a notification light integrated into the chin of the device, similar to what was seen with the OPPO Find 7, but in a slightly different implementation. There’s no denying that the breathing effect that this non-traditional notification light allows for looks great, and is a great addition to an otherwise uninspired design.

Display

The NUU Mobile Z8 features a 5.5-inch gapless IPS LCD display, with a 1080p resolution, resulting in a pixel density of 401 ppi. Quad HD may be all the rage nowadays, but Full HD certainly more than gets the job done, especially when considering the mid-range nature of this device. The display performs very well, with excellent color reproduction and great viewing angles. The maximum brightness is still relatively dim though, which does negatively affect outdoor visibility.

This particular review unit arrived with an LCD bright spot out of the box, and while NUU Mobile confirmed that you will be able to pick up a replacement under their standard 2-year warranty, it does raise some concerns. Further, this screen is quite the fingerprint magnet, which can be annoying to some users. A tempered glass screen protector will be available in a few weeks for the Z8 however, which will hopefully make this less of an issue.

Performance

Under the hood, the NUU Mobile Z8 packs an octa-core, 64-bit MediaTek MT6752 processor, clocked at 1.7 GHz, and backed by the Mali-T760 GPU and 2 GB of RAM. This processing package proved to be a solid and reliable performer, and handled day to day activities with relative ease. 2 GB of RAM allows for some comfortable multi-tasking, and the device also handled gaming very well.

The overall experience felt just as fast as the Asus Zenfone 2, with its arguably superior processing package, and this similarity is reflected in the benchmark scores as well. Of course, some of the credit for this smooth performance has to be given to the stock Android software, which does allow for a very fluid and stutter-free experience.

Hardware

The NUU Mobile Z8 comes with 16 GB or 32 GB built-in storage options, with the latter available now, and the former being released early next month. Both versions come with support for expandable storage, via microSD card, by up to 64 GB. The device also comes with a standard suite of connectivity options, including MediaTek’s take on NFC, which is the HotKnot data exchange feature, which is limited to just smartphones and tablets featuring MediaTek processing packages. There were some noticeable connectivity issues however, with the Wi-Fi not very strong, leading to a lot of dropped connections, along with the GPS failing to find a lock indoors, and requiring some time when outdoors. Once connected, there were fortunately no issues after that.

The device does come with full HSPA+ support on the AT&T and T-Mobile network, and while the dual SIM phone does allow for 4G LTE connectivity, it might be difficult to get because of some particular LTE bands not supported. That should change soon though, as NUU Mobile did mention working closely with the network carriers to add these bands, and should be activated soon, which users will receive via an OTA update.

As far as the rear speaker is concerned, the single speaker on the Z8 does get plenty loud, but can sound a bit distorted, which is disappointing. As is the case with any rear speaker setup as well, it is easy to muffle the sound when the device is placed on a flat surface.

On the battery front, the NUU Mobile Z8 packs a removable 2,650 mAh battery, that unfortunately didn’t provide the best in terms of battery life. In my initial testing, the device lasted for just 7.5 hours with a screen-on time of 2.5 hours, which is below average by any standard. A software update that followed did result in a slight improvement, with the total time being pushed close to 10 hours, with the screen-on time jumping to 3.5 hours. As such, even average smartphone users will have a difficult time getting a full day of use comfortably out of this device. NUU Mobile did mention that they will continue to improve in this area with future updates, and for now, you do have the option to carry around a spare.

Camera

The NUU Mobile Z8 comes with a 13 MP rear camera which did allow for some nice looking shots. Autofocus can be a little slow, but capturing the shot after that is fairly quick. There can be a lack of saturation in some images, especially when compared to other similar camera setups, like the Asus Zenfone 2, which actually does tend to oversaturate pictures. Some exposure issues came up as well, where tapping on a light object drops the exposure significantly, and vice versa.

All of the images, however, were very sharp and not lacking in detail. Understandably, the camera does struggle in low light conditions, even when the flash is on. Once again, NUU Mobile confirmed that they will try their best to improve image processing that will be made available to users in future firmware updates. As far as the camera application is concerned, it is the standard open source MediaTek app, and doesn’t really pack a whole lot, apart from a few modes, as well as some granular control over aspects like white balance and ISO.

Software

On the software side of things, the NUU Mobile Z8 runs a near-stock iteration of Android 5.0 Lollipop, which provides an excellent software experience. Some additions over stock Android include a few gestures, as well as a Clear All Apps button in the multi-tasking screen, which is certainly a very useful addition. The launcher is very similar to the Google Now launcher, except without featuring Google Now, and the Google keyboard is also the default out of the box. What is particularly refreshing is the fact that there is absolutely no bloatware to be found anywhere.

Some of the gestures added include double tap to wake, drawing an “o” to launch the camera, shaking the device to turn the flashlight on, flip to mute, and wave to mute. All these gestures work very well, but the one to activate the flashlight is limited to only the lockscreen. This functionality will also be improved upon in future updates. Speaking of updates, NUU Mobile promises that this device will receive an official update to Android 5.1 Lollipop, but there is some uncertainty with it going beyond that.

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Pricing and final thoughts

The NUU Mobile Z8 is available officially through the company website, as well as via various re-sellers like Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and HSN. The 16 GB variant, when released, will be priced at $249, and the 32 GB version is currently available for $299, with the included color options being white and black.

So there you have it for this closer look at the NUU Mobile Z8! The device is certainly a solid offering in the affordable smartphone space, from a company that is relatively new to the US market. There are some positives here, like the excellent display, smooth performance, and fluid software experience. Of course, there are notable drawbacks as well, with its connectivity issues, distorted audio, and poor battery life. There is a lot that can be resolved with future updates, but for now, the Z8 does feel like a work in progress, and given the intense competition in this space, with other fantastic, but similarly-priced, smartphones, this phone is difficult to recommend, at least for now.

A big focus by smartphone manufacturers this year has been on offering consumers quality devices that don’t break the bank, and we’ve seen some fantastic new additions to this segment from the like of Asus, Alcatel OneTouch, and a slew of Chinese OEMs. The fact that high-end doesn’t necessarily have to mean expensive was really brought into the spotlight just this week however, with the ZTE Axon Phone, OnePlus 2. and the new Motorola flagships, the Moto X Style and Moto X Play, bursting on to the scene. Joining this intensely competitive arena now is Meizu, with their latest flagship offering. Does this device manage to stand out in this ever-growing and impressive crowd? We find that out, and more, in this in-depth Meizu MX5 review!

Design

The Meizu MX5 retains a lot of the design language of its predecessor, and as such, also continues to feature a very familiar look with an inspiration that is obvious. Unlike previous iterations of this flagship line though, Meizu has gone from using a metal frame and plastic backing to a full metal unibody design that curves around the sides to meet the large display up front, allowing for the premium feel that is expected from a current generation flagship.

One easily noticeable difference in the design between generations is the presence of a physical home button up front, with an integrated fingerprint scanner, in the case of the Meizu MX5, replacing the capacitive home button found with its predecessor, which also doubled as a notification light. With this feature not available anymore, a notification LED is now included, found in its more traditional location above the display. The home button can feel a little cheap at times, which isn’t great, given all the different ways this button is used – as a home button, as a back button, and as a fingerprint scanner.

Taking a look around the device, on the right side is the power button below the volume rocker, placed to be within easy reach, and the dual SIM card slot can be found on the opposite side. The buttons may not be of the highest quality, but do offer a decent tactile feel and good responsiveness. The headphone jack is up top, and at the bottom is the microUSB port, flanked by a microphone and a single speaker unit.

While not the thinnest smartphone around, its 7.6 mm thickness makes it quite sleek, and its weight of 149 grams results in a device that feels substantial and comfortable in the hand. Despite its metal construction, the MX5 isn’t particularly slippery and provides a secure grip, and the overall handling experience is far better than what you might get with other smartphones with a similar build.

Display

The Meizu MX5 comes with a 5.5-inch AMOLED display with a 1080p resolution, resulting in a pixel density of 401 ppi, and the display is protected by a Corning Gorilla Glass 3 panel, to keep things scratch-free. Meizu decided to ditch the rather odd 16:10 aspect ratio seen with its previous devices for the more standard 16:9, which is a very welcome change.

While Quad HD is dominating the high-end Android smartphone scene, the 1080p display of the Meizu MX5 certainly more than gets the job done. The display is beautiful, with AMOLED technology bringing everything we love about it, including colors that pop and are nice and saturated, deep blacks, and high brightness. The color temperature does lean towards the warmer side of things though, resulting in a slightly pinkish hue on white backgrounds. It may not be the sharpest display around, but the difference is hardly noticeable, and the media-viewing and gaming experience is an absolute joy.

Performance

Under the hood, the Meizu MX5 packs an octa-core MediaTek MT6795 (Helio X10 Turbo) processor, clocked at 2.2 GHz, and backed by the PowerVR G6200 GPU and 3 GB of RAM.

MediaTek processors may not entirely match up with the Snapdragons of the world, but in the case of the Meizu MX5, there were rarely any problems with performance. Opening, closing, and switching between apps is a breeze, and the device flies through the various elements of the UI. The device also handles multi-tasking and gaming very well, which hasn’t always been the case with Meizu devices and others that feature MediaTek processors. That said, a big contributing factor to this smooth performance is also the software optimization that Meizu has managed with the latest version of the FlyMe OS.

Hardware

The phone is available in 16, 32, and 64 GB variants, but with the lack of expandable storage via microSD card, you will certainly be better off opting for the higher built-in storage options. The device also comes with a standard suite of connectivity options, along with 4G LTE support, but it is recommended to check for compatibility with your local network carrier first if you do decide to pick up this device.

As mentioned, the physical home button up front has different uses, with a press required for it to work as a home button, and a tap to make it function like a back button. Finally, the button also comes with an integrated fingerprint scanner, that is called M-Touch. The touch type implementation is certainly the one we prefer, and it works incredibly well on the MX5. It is really fast, making it very quick and easy to unlock the device and get into your homescreen. There have been no issues with the scanner failing to recognize the fingerprint, and it actually manages to feel faster than the implementations found with some of the other, more high-end, devices out there.

The single speaker at the bottom isn’t the best sounding out there, but is far from the worst. The audio can sometimes sound a bit tinny, but overall, it allows for a decent audio experience, and can certainly get very loud. As is the case with any bottom-mounted speaker though, it is fairly easy to cover it up when holding the device in the landscape orientation, but the curve along that side does alleviate this issue to some extent, even if only a little bit.

On the battery front, the Meizu MX5 comes with a 3,150 mAh non-removable battery, that allows for some impressive battery life. Regardless of your usage, you can always manage up to 4.5 hours of screen-on time, and the battery should allow for a full day of use for most users. Something odd is the fact that the “Phone Idle” mode seems to strain the battery a lot, which is very surprising. Since the battery life is still good, it isn’t a big concern, but the battery life should get even better if and when this bug is fixed.

There are few different battery saving modes built-in as well, with the default Balance mode functioning very well for the most part. Graphic-intensive gaming may require a switch to Performance mode, but the default setting otherwise keeps everything running smoothly. There is of course, a power saving mode available that lets you get that little bit of extra juice out of the battery. If you do run out of battery life, the MX5 comes with fast charging capabilities, called M-Charge, that will allow you to charge the device to up to 60% in just 40 minutes.

Camera

The Meizu MX5 comes with a 20.7 MP rear camera, with an f/2.2 aperture, and found below the camera is a dual tone LED flash and a laser-guided autofocus. The camera app is very simple, clean, and easy to use, with quick access to a bunch of different modes, like a full manual mode, that gives you granular control over aspects like shutter speed, ISO, exposure, and focus. Other modes include panorama, and Light Field, that takes a lot of shots fast at different focus points, allowing you adjust the focus after the fact.

Shooting in Auto mode allows for some good looking pictures, and it is actually quite surprising how nice they can look, with saturated colors and good detail. Dynamic range is good, but it is up to you to cater the shot correctly, so even if Auto mode is supposed to automatically adjust to take the best picture, that isn’t always the case.

Tapping on the viewfinder helps with the focus and the adjustment of light, but this can be very finicky. You have to make sure that you tap exactly on where you want the camera to focus, and adjust the light to that area. Being off by just a little bit can result in an image that is either too dark, or too bright, and it does require a few tries to get it just right, which can be frustrating. HDR helps in this regard, but does require a second or two to take the picture.

Overall though, when you do get it right, some great shots are possible. As expected, low light shots can be a little noisy and lacking in detail, but the images don’t look too bad either. Video recording is great on the MX5 too, recording at 30 fps, along with 4K recording available as well. Slow Motion video capture is also possible, at 100 fps, and even though that isn’t as slow as some other flagship smartphones, the quality is certainly impressive.

The device also comes with a 5 MP front-facing camera, which allows for some decent self portraits. Pictures have a good amount of detail, but one thing you do have to watch out for is the fact that it tends to prioritize the primary subject, making anything that is even slightly in the background a little blurry. Taking advantage of the front-facing camera is Beauty mode, with settings that lets you change the size of your eyes, make your face a bit slimmer, and more. This mode may not be practical or useful for everyone, but can definitely be fun to play around with.

Software

On the software side of things, the Meizu MX5 runs its own customized FlyMe OS 4.5, based on Android 5.0.1 Lollipop. Of course, you’ll be hard pressed to find any stock Android and Material Design elements in this user interface, and overall, the software experience can take some getting used to.

For starters, there is no application drawer available, leaving users dependent on folders to stay organized and keep the homescreens from getting too cluttered. The Settings menu is very iOS-like in its implementation, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but is of course, very different from what you may already be familiar with. Trying to get to the Settings app itself can be a pain, as there isn’t a direct shortcut available in the Quick Settings menu in the notification dropdown, so you will have to make sure that the Settings icon is at placed at an easily accessible location on the homescreen.

The FlyMe OS may be one of the more simpler takes on Android, but it does pack some cool and useful features, like the ability to lock apps so that they require a pass code to get in to. As mentioned, the physical home button also doubles as a back button, but when it comes to opening the multi-tasking screen, it does get a little strange, since there is no dedicated Recent Apps key to be found. You will have to slowly swipe up from the bottom, to open what looks a lot like the iOS 6 used app dock. Previews of the apps isn’t available, but you can close them with a simple swipe up.

Specifications

Display

5.5 inch AMOLEDFull HD (1080x1920)Density: 401ppi

Processor

Octa-core MediaTek Helio X108 x 2.2GHz
Power VR G6200 GPU

Storage

16/32/64GB

Expandable: No

RAM

3GB

Connectivity

Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth 4.1
GPS+GLONASS

Software

Android 5.0.1 LollipopFlyme OS 4.5

Camera

20.7 MP rear camera with dual LED flash
5 MP front-facing camera

Battery

3,150 mAh

Colors

black, silver, gold

Dimensions

149.9 x 74.7 x 7.6 mm
149 grams

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Pricing and final thoughts

One of the key aspects of a device like the Meizu MX5 is its affordable price point, with the device starting at $339 for the 16 GB iteration, and going up to $459 for the highest 64 GB storage option. Available colors for the Meizu MX5 include black, gold, and silver.

So there you have it for this closer look at the Meizu MX5! The device may have some cosmetic issues, like the somewhat cheap feeling home button, but it does what it is meant to do amazingly well.

The performance is smooth, the display is beautiful, the battery life is impressive, the camera is reliable, the fingerprint scanner is fantastic and the overall build quality is actually very nice, allowing for a great feel in the hand. In the end, the Meizu MX5 is definitely a worthy competitor in the affordable smartphone space, but it might be easy to miss in the crowd, especially with the latest flagship devices that have launched over the last few days.

The smartphone market, especially in the United States, is extremely competitive, and it can be tough for smaller players to go up against bigger names such as Samsung, LG and Motorola. With that said, Chinese smartphone manufacturer Vivo may have a plan to do just that.

First launched in May 2015, the Vivo X5Pro features an attractive design, display and specifications, while also being offered at a super affordable price point. Does it stack up against other popular smartphones in this space, or will the device blend into the crowd? We find that out, and more, in our full review of the Vivo X5Pro!

Design

The Vivo X5Pro features a design that’s reminiscent of other popular smartphones on the market, such as Sony’s Xperia line. With a glass sandwich design and smoothly polished aluminum sides, this is one attractive device. The front and back panels meet the aluminum frame almost seamlessly, leaving the glass panels rising just a bit higher than the frame.

Moving around the device, we have 3.5mm headphone jack on the top, on the right we have an aluminum volume rocker and power button sitting above the dual SIM card slot, and the left side features no peripherals whatsoever. The dual SIM card slot provides a little more functionality than most other handsets offer, with the second SIM slot doubling as a microSD card slot. If you only need one SIM card in your device, you’ll be happy to hear that you can expand the phone’s memory up to a massive 128GB. It’s a neat hardware feature that a few manufacturers have adopted, giving more options and versatility to the consumer.

Continuing on, the front glass panel sports an 8 megapixel front facer and a green lighting notification light with 3 capacitive buttons at the bottom. The left-most button is an options key, the center is a home button, and the back button sits on the right side. On the back of the phone, the camera module is in the upper left with the a single LED flash. The Vivo branding sits square in the middle although oriented sideways.

The total result is a device that carries a premium design aesthetic, is fairly pocketable, and is relatively comfortable to hold despite being only 6.4mm thick.

Display

The X5Pro boasts a 5.2 inch 1080p Super AMOLED display at 424 pixels per inch. And it’s that Super AMOLED that really shines here. The screen produces rich colors that look great indoors and especially outdoors. The screen’s calibration leans slightly on the warmer side, and the brightness, while not the brightest on the market, is certainly bright enough for my use, normally kept at around 75%.

Viewing angles are good and colors should be vivid enough for most users. While this device doesn’t sport a Quad HD panel like many users would prefer, 1080p is still perfectly clear enough for most of us out there.

Performance and hardware

Most popular in the budget sector, the Qualcomm’s octa-core Snapdragon 615 makes an appearance in this device, bolstered with the Adreno 405 graphics processor and 2GB of RAM. While some of the other cheaper phones with lower resolution displays blaze through performance metrics with this CPU, here the X5Pro stumbles every so often.

Most of the time it’s a fairly fluid experience, but there are many times where the device will lag, almost like the software is playing catch up. Scrolling through web pages can be a tad difficult at times, especially when the phone stutters all the way down to the bottom of the webpage. It doesn’t happen so often that it makes the phone a headache, but often enough that you will notice after use all day. Unfortunately it does only come standard with 16GB of storage, but again you can ramp that up to 128GB through expansion.

Despite having two speaker grills on the bottom, the X5Pro only has one speaker that fires from the left. Regardless, it’s loud enough for media consumption without headphones, but lacks the richness in low end to make it a solid choice for sharing music.

The battery is the smaller side, especially given the larger footprint of this phone with a 5.2 inch display. It comes in at 2450mAh non-removable cell and is almost always a sure shot for a full day’s use. With moderate but consistent use, using mostly apps, web browsing, camera, and phone calling, I ended the day with about 40% left. But on a day when I focused on app and video use consistently I ran the battery down by the end of the night to about 13%.

Because the built in UI doesn’t allow for battery status checking or screen on time, I had to use a 3rd party app, which didn’t seem to register as accurately as I’d hope. The screen-on time of 3 hours shown, seemed to be less than what I actually got on the day of heavy use.

Camera

Vivo’s camera choice here is a 13 megapixel shooter. Overall, it’s certainly not anything to write home about, but it functions as most do in this price range. Photos in well-lit areas are pretty good, with colors tending to lack a bit of saturation, which makes pictures look a tad dull. Shooting photos indoors without the flash turned on result in a great deal of noise. And because there’s no OIS, folks with less steady hands can expect a bit of a blur, especially in darker photos. Features like HDR and Face Beauty help add some pizzaz to the photos to help compensate for the sometimes dull standard shots.

On the front sits a somewhat larger-than-average 8 megapixel camera that can take high resolution images, but even in good lighting conditions, the front facer finds focus difficult to achieve and almost never gets the image without a bit of blur.

On the front a somewhat larger than average 8 megapixel camera takes high resolution images, but even in good lighting conditions finds focus difficult to achieve and almost never gets the image without a bit of blur.

Software

Vivo’s take on software is their Funtouch OS 2.1 layered over Android 5.0.2 Lollipop, which, in its basic appearance, greatly resembles iOS. Numerous icons are almost a blatant copy of something you’d find on an iPhone, which isn’t something we’re ecstatic about. And while the quick settings page, which can be accessed from a quick swipe up from the bottom of the screen, is arguably more functional in this location, looks a little too familiar, as well.

The left capacitive key brings up a different options menu depending on which app you’re currently using. While Google has tried moving OEMs away from using designated options keys in their devices, it can provide a bit of extra functionality to users in certain situations. For instance, if you’re on the home screen, it’ll behave partly like other Android phones when holding down anywhere on the home screen, bringing up the widgets and page swiping effects settings. Other apps like Chrome will bring up the list of options to select a new tab, bookmark, check history and more.

Since this capacitive key is normally used to bring up the list of opened apps, Vivo has implemented their own widget for this. It shows the number of apps currently running, the percent of RAM used and the efficiency of the phone. clicking on the wheel is the equivalent of clearing all unused apps. Tapping left allows you to go into the app, giving more detail and allowing to clear any specific tasks, a lot like windows task manager.

Themes also make a return here as well as a device manger app that grant and refuses permissions to certain apps.

Specifications

Display

5.2-inch Super AMOLED, 1080 x 1920 resolution

Processor

Qualcomm Snapdragon 615

RAM

2GB

GPU

Adreno 405

Storage

16GB internal, microSD expansion up to 128GB

Camera

13MP rear-facing camera
8MP front-facing camera

Battery

2450mAh, non-removable

Software

Android 5.0 Lollipop, Vivo Funtouch OS 2.1

Dimensions

147.9 x 73.5 x 6.4mm

Colors

Black, White

Dual SIM

Yes

Gallery

Pricing and final thoughts

So, there you have it, our full review of the Vivo X5Pro! While the device’s camera and performance might leave much to be desired, the beautiful design, interesting, yet familiar software experience, and beautiful screen almost make up for the handset’s shortcomings. With budget-friendly options consistently decreasing in price, it’s tough to recommend the X5Pro to users who are looking for a solid handset.

What are your thoughts on the device? If the X5Pro is available in your region, do you think you’ll pick one up? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below!

Chinese OEMs are slowly but surely expanding their presence in the U.S. market, bringing to the highly-competitive arena what these companies are already known for around the world, great devices at comparatively more affordable price points. ZTE’s latest high-end offering is a prime example of this, and is a device that ZTE claims is made entirely with the consumer in mind. Of course, this is not the first time we’ve heard this bold claim from other OEMs. Does ZTE manage to stand true to their statement? We find out, in this in-depth Axon Phone by ZTE review!

Design

Looking at the current crop of high-end and mid-range smartphones, it is immediately noticeable that design has become a very important aspect of the smartphone experience. The availability of various color options, different material choices, and the use of premium build materials from the likes of Samsung, LG, HTC, and Motorola means that ZTE had a difficult task on their hands as far as design was concerned, and fortunately, the Axon Phone delivers.

The body of the Axon Phone is made entirely of a smooth metal that gives it that high quality premium feel that we all expect from any high-end smartphone, and a tapered back with rounded corners, similar to what is seen with a device like the HTC One M9, makes the device sit very comfortably in the hand. The great feel aside, the smooth metal finish can make the phone feel a bit slippery, and not helping the handling experience is the fact that the device is quite tall due to the large bezels and front speaker grills. Reaching up to the top to access something like the notification shade does require some hand gymnastics, and makes the phone feel even less secure when you can’t maintain your grip.

The Axon Phone is clearly not in the race for being the thinnest or lightest device either, with it weighing just shy of 175 grams, and coming in at just a little over 9 mm thick. This isn’t a bad thing though, as the added heft makes the phone feel even more substantial than it already is.

To give the Axon Phone a unique design element, ZTE added a distinctive grill pattern that can be found in multiple locations, such as the earpiece, front-facing speaker, and the rear camera. This is designed to make the phone stand out and focus the attention on certain parts on the device without being too over the top, and it definitely works. The grills aesthetically flow well with the overall design of the phone, and there’s no denying that it will garner a double take when out and about.

Taking a look around the device, the buttons are in very ergonomic locations, which helps alleviate some of the concerns with regards to the handling experience. The power button is on the right side, with the volume rocker and the SIM card slot on the opposite side. Also on the right side is a dedicated camera shutter button, which is something we do appreciate but is unfortunately not often seen with Android smartphones. Up top is the headphone jack next to a microphone, and the microUSB port is at the bottom, also next to another microphone. Finally, the Axon Phone features a capacitive circle home button, with the two dots flanking it, which act as the menu and recent apps keys. A nice touch with the home button is that it also doubles as a notification light, and will pulsate any time you get a notification or to indicate that the battery is low, which certainly proves to be very useful.

Display

For ZTE to truly compete with the heavy hitters, the Axon Phone had to be packed to the gills with the latest and greatest in current smartphone tech, and once again, ZTE manages to deliver, with it all starting with the display. The Axon Phone features a 5.5-inch IPS LCD display with a Quad HD resolution, resulting in a pixel density of 534 ppi, and there’s no doubt that this is a fantastic looking screen. It is is big, bright, and beautiful, with accurate color reproduction, and great viewing angles and contrast, making for a display that is an absolute pleasure to use. The large size and high resolution make it ideal for any sort of content, and there’s a nice amount of saturation that makes the screen pop. Brightness isn’t an issue either, and outdoor visibility is comfortable, and while you may not get the deep blacks afforded by AMOLED panels, the black levels on this LCD screen are still pretty good.

Performance

Under the hood, the Axon Phone features the octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor, clocked at 2 GHz, and backed by the Adreno 430 GPU and a whopping 4 GB of RAM. Despite some known overheating issues, this processing package is still one of the best in the business right now, and that is reflected in the performance of the Axon Phone. Opening, closing, and switching between applications are all smooth, multi-tasking is an absolute breeze, and playing graphically intensive games caused no trouble at all. As good as the processor is, some of the credit for this fluid and lag free performance has to be given to the software which isn’t bogged down by a slew of pre-installed applications or unnecessary features.

As mentioned, the Snapdragon 810 is notorious for running hot, but this wasn’t exactly the case with the Axon Phone, which is a good thing. The device did get warm on a few occasions, but that was only during long gaming sessions, and would happen with almost any smartphone out there. Feeling the heat permeate through the metal body is a little bit jarring, but it has yet to get the point where the device got uncomfortably hot to the touch, and/or rendered any features or applications inoperable.

Hardware

ZTE made a very big deal about the audio experience provided by the Axon Phone, and deservedly so. The Axon Phone is the first smartphone to be released in the U.S. with a Hi-Fi audio chipset built-in for both listening and recording. You can use any pair of headphones or earbuds that you are comfortable with, but ZTE does include a very nice pair of JBL earphones in the box, available for free if you took advantage of the pre-order system, but will otherwise require an additional $50. The Hi-Fi audio definitely works well and it was easy to notice a difference in audio in comparison to a couple of other flagships like the Galaxy S6 and HTC One M9, while using the same JBL earphones with all of them.

On the Axon Phone, the sound is not only louder, but it is also a lot fuller, with depth especially along the mids and lows.

One aspect of the audio experience that isn’t quite what you might expect, however, is the front-facing speaker. The presence of dual speaker grills would lead you to believe that the device features a dual stereo speaker setup, but that is unfortunately not the case with there actually being only a single speaker on the bottom grill. The speaker does sound good and gets quite loud, but without a second speaker up top for a true stereo sound, the audio can be very lopsided, especially when using the device in the landscape orientation while watching videos or playing games, and is not particularly impressive overall.

Apart from the standard suite of connectivity options, the Axon Phone also comes with 4G LTE support for the AT&T and T-Mobile networks in the U.S. As far as storage is concerned, 32 GB is available on-board, but rather odd and disappointing is the lack of expandable storage via microSD card. 32 GB of storage should still be enough for most users, but if you’re heavily media-centric, some memory management will be required on your part.

When it comes to the battery, the large 3,000 mAh battery that powers the Axon Phone allows for some good battery life, but it isn’t spectacular. It is good enough to provide a full day of use with around 4 hours of screen-on time, but that is the upper limit as far as screen-on time is concerned. Even on a day with heavy usage, that involved playing a lot of games and taking lots of pictures, the phone still managed 4 hours of screen-on time, despite lasting only around 8 hours off the charger. With more casual usage, that number jumps drastically to between 13 and 16 hours, but with the screen-on time showing only a slight increase to around 4.5 hours. If you do end of charging the device halfway through your day, you will be able to take advantage of its fast-charging capabilities via Qualcomm QuickCharge 2.0. that will have you back up and running in a short amount of time.

Camera

Another big highlight of the Axon Phone is when it comes to the camera. The main camera on the rear is a 13 MP shooter with a f/1.8 aperture and OIS, but there is also an additional 2 MP camera for capturing depth information, similar to the Duo Camera setup seen with the HTC One M8. Selfie lovers will be happy with the 8 MP front-facing shooter with a wide angle lens, that should provide for some great self portraits, and also allow users to easily fit additional subjects into the frame.

The camera UI is simple, and navigating through the various elements involves swipes across the viewfinder to switch between modes. Typical modes like manual, panorama, sport, HDR, slow motion video, and more are all available but the one that stands out the most is the bokeh mode, which takes advantage of the refocusing capabilities of the camera. What is interesting about this bokeh mode is that it allows for manual f stop control, or at least, that is what you are led to believe. It does alter the depth of field or background blur, but unlike a real aperture change as possible with a DSLR, it doesn’t affect how much light enters the lens, regardless of if you’re shooting wide open at f/1.0 or f/8.0.

Shooting in this mode will allow for images to be refocused after the fact, along with the level of blur to be adjusted, and the camera does a really great job of separating objects in the foreground from the background. It can look very artificial if you get too carried away with the blur effect, and it can only fully refocus on a different part of an image if it hasn’t already been blurred out by the camera’s natural bokeh. It’s cool and can be rather convincing if you follow the appropriate guidelines, but right now, it still feels more like a novelty than a must-have feature.

In terms of general every day picture taking, the camera experience is mostly more positive than negative. The shutter speed and auto focus is very quick, which makes it very easy to snap photos, helped along by the inclusion of a dedicated camera shutter button. While the physical button is a nice touch, some unfortunate omissions are the lack of the half press to focus feature as well as the fact that the button cannot be used to launch the camera from a sleep state, but is hopefully something that will be addressed and added in a future update.

In fair to good lighting conditions, the camera is able to produce some pretty excellent images with adequate, natural looking colors, and maintains a high level of sharpness and clarity even when zoomed in. Dynamic range is just okay though, and tends to crush the darks a little too much, resulting in the loss of a lot of detail because of it. HDR works well to alleviate that in most situations, but in some cases it does tend to bias towards a more overexposed look with less natural looking colors. Macro shots can also be very hit or miss. The camera can sometimes find the right focus point quickly, but other times, it almost becomes an exercise in frustration to get the image that you want.

Even with OIS and a f/1.8 aperture, low light and night time photography is decent at best, and the image processing may be to blame. There’s a lot of noise reduction going on, which leads to softer details, and colors are much more muted in these situations, that it makes it tough capture an appealing image. As a whole, the camera is good, but as it stands right now it seems to fall a bit short of the hype.

Software

On the software side of things, the Axon Phone offers a very clean Android experience in comparison to the far more heavily skinned iterations seen with other ZTE devices. The device ships with Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, and it is mostly a stock Android experience with all of Google’s Material Design elements kept intact. There are a few changes, like the custom launcher that offers the typical features like widgets and wallpapers, but you can also change the home screen scroll effect to something a little more dynamic. Themes are also available, but the theme engine isn’t very robust at the moment, leaving users with only a few choices to pick from.

The Quick Settings toggles have also been slightly tweaked, allowing users to rearrange the shortcuts to any order they find useful, and there are a lot more toggle options available as well, beyond what you find with stock Lollipop. Another functional change from Lollipop is the addition of a quick info panel that is accessible with a swipe from the bottom, which houses a music player, starred contacts, a step counter, and sports news from Yahoo. It can be useful to some, but I found it to get in the way more than anything, especially when trying to swipe away the notification panel, which launched this quick info panel instead.

ZTE has also kept the app experience extremely clean by not bogging things down with a slew of pre-installed bloatware. There is only a couple of pre-loaded applications with Argus and RockMyRun, both of which are geared towards health and fitness. Argus is a simple pedometer to help keep track of your steps, and can constantly keep you updated on your lockscreen and notification panel. You can even connect with friends to see how well they are doing, and helps keep you motivated towards meeting your health goals. The RockMyRun app on the other is essentially just a music player, but can tailor the tempo of the beat to the pace of your run to help keep you going. Listening to the music is free, but if you want manual control over the tempo, or have it automatically change based on your pace, you will have to pay a $4.99 per month subscription fee for the service, which also removes any in-app ads.

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Pricing and final thoughts

The Axon Phone is available now for pre-order directly through ZTE and other outlets like Amazon, Ebay, and NewEgg, for $449.98, with the color options including phthalo blue, ion gold, and chromium silver. To make users feel more at ease with buying an unlocked phone, the Axon Phone comes with Passport 1.0, a protection plan that offers free premium protection, along with a 2 year warranty, advanced exchanges, and free two-way shipping should anything ever happen to your device.

So there you have it for this comprehensive look at the Axon Phone by ZTE! While its premium metal build, Quad HD display, a decent camera, and the latest processing package may not be above and beyond what is available with any current generation flagship, what makes the Axon Phone so impressive is its price point, which is significantly cheaper than any device this phone is directly competing with. ZTE may be the fourth largest smartphone manufacturer in the US, but their presence is generally unknown when compared to the heavy hitters of the Android world, but the Axon Phone is the company’s gateway to changing that, and they are certainly on the right track.

]]>http://www.androidauthority.com/zte-axon-phone-review-628659/feed/6The OnePlus One… Nowhttp://www.androidauthority.com/oneplus-one-now-628445/
http://www.androidauthority.com/oneplus-one-now-628445/#commentsSat, 25 Jul 2015 18:34:08 +0000http://www.androidauthority.com/?p=628445We are only a few days away from the official launch of the OnePlus Two, and with the hype train running at full steam, we are certainly excited about getting our hands on this latest high-end offering from the Chinese OEM. Before we do get to see what this sequel has to offer, we thought it a good idea to revisit the smartphone that started it all, and certainly captured the attention of the media and consumers alike, even if not always in a positive way. When it was first released it last year, the device was heavily marketed as a flagship killer – but that was then, and this is the OnePlus One….now.

Much of what made the OnePlus One so appealing when it was first launched was its unbeatable price point for what it offered, with its high-end specifications and 64 GB of storage an absolute steal for just $349. The many units we see out in the wild attest to this, as the OnePlus became the phone for the savvy internet user, those who knew how to seek out the best bang for the buck in the market, even though, for a long while, it wasn’t the easiest device to get your hands on.

The much-maligned invite system was, understandably a big source of frustration for users, as the barrier of entry as pretty stacked, with the only options available was to either win an invite, or be lucky enough to have a friend who had an invite to spare. This, of course, isn’t an issue anymore, with the OnePlus One now available for immediate purchase, and also at a discounted price. It can be argued that both of these otherwise positive moves are too little too late, having been made on the eve of the arrival of its predecessor, but its now $299 price tag means that the One continues to be a very compelling offering.

My personal device, that was bought not long after we released the full review, has held up quite well in the more than a year that I’ve used it. The sandstone backing is still unique and nice to the touch, but of course, I had to get my hands on the version of the device with the bamboo backing, when it was finally made available, unfortunately via invites once again. The invite system has become a running joke when it comes to OnePlus now, but it has been very tiresome, and we will hopefully see a better implementation when the same rolls around with the OnePlus Two.

The story of hardware and performance is also the same, after more than a year in. Everything from the display to performance has remained solid, providing exactly what is expected from high-end smartphone from 2014. Playing processor-intensive games is still great, the media consumption experience allowed with the 5.5-inch Full HD display is enjoyable, and the 13 MP rear shooter provides some good shots. Though performance and viewing experience don’t fall behind by much, it is in the camera that you might left wanting a bit more, especially when given the fact that the current crop of flagships have brought a sort of revolution in this regard. The OnePlus One definitely feels dated when pit against the latest and greatest, but the ability to get a device with 64 GB of storage does make up for most shortcomings this phone might have.

The software by Cyanogen has since been updated to 12S that is based on Android 5.0 Lollipop, and proves to be a worthwhile upgrade that brings with all that Cyanogenmod fans love, including some real customization tools, gestures, and every little feature originally afforded the One, with Material Design making it all look better. Oxygen OS was born from the ashes of OnePlus’ relationship with Cyanogen, and was an alternative turned necessity that got off to a decent start. Not only is based on an earlier version of Lollipop though, but it is also about as stock an Android build as you can get. This is both a good and bad thing, because stock Android is always great, but the Oxygen OS still feels like it has a way to go to really differentiate itself.

This year, we’ve already had some great experiences provided by inexpensive phones, and it is fantastic that reliable smooth performance is now very easily available for sub-$400, or even sub-$300 in some cases, which is a development that OnePlus may not have started, but definitely brought into the spotlight. That is also how the OnePlus One continues to be relevant even after more than a year since its release.

The OnePlus One may pale in comparison to this year’s high-end flagships, but it is easy to consider the device as a very compelling member of the “inexpensive but reliable” group, a criteria that is getting more and more attention in the smartphone world. It’s certainly not going to go toe to toe with the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S6 and the LG G4, but that’s a job for the upcoming OnePlus Two, which will undoubtedly have its own problems with the re-instituted invite system and the latest iteration of the Oxygen OS.

Great OnePlus Videos!

The OnePlus One is the device you get when you need to save money, and you can rest assured that the phone will continue to perform up to a daily standard. The device has seen its fair share of controversy, but when looking at the bigger picture, the OnePlus One continues to succeed at what it was meant to, providing a great smartphone without breaking the bank.

Latest Flagships Reviewed!

And how about you – excited to see what the OnePlus Two has in store? As always, Android Authority will be there to deliver the very best coverage, hands on videos and more, for you. As flagships keep getting better and better, and with so much more competition from the ‘super’-midrange portfolio of devices, and some very excellent devices coming in at sub $300 and sub $200 price points, would you ever consider getting an ‘old’ flagship? Devices like the Galaxy Note 4 and LG G3 still perform exceptionally well. Let us know your thoughts – we do this for you!

While there are quite a few good Android tablets around, many of them lean towards the budget-friendly, and therefore, mid-range side of things. As good as some of these devices may be, it’s been some time since we’ve gotten our hands on a truly compelling Android tablet. Sony is attempting to change all that with their latest high-end tablet offering, the Xperia Z4 Tablet. This device certainly seems to check all the right boxes on paper, but does it manage to meet, or even go beyond, our expectations? We find out, in this comprehensive Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet review!

Design

One of the highlights of the high-end Sony tablet line has always been how sleek and light these devices are, and that is something that continues with the latest addition to the series. With a thickness of just 6.1 mm and weighing 393 grams, the Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet is an absolute pleasure to hold, and you almost forget that this is actually a rather large device. While featuring a plastic construction, the build quality certainly doesn’t feel cheap, and the textured matte finish of the back panel allows for plenty of grip as well.

The rectangular shape, silver trim, and somewhat angular design, with signature elements like the large silver power button, are all very true to Sony, but its overall simplicity can understandably be mistaken as being bland, rather than elegant. The bezels up front may also not be the most aesthetically pleasing design element, giving the tablet the look of a picture frame when looking at it head on. It does serve a purpose functionally though, as the large bezels make for great resting points for your thumbs when holding on to the device.

When holding the device in the landscape orientation, the power button and volume rocker are found on the left side within easy reach. This placement that makes complete sense, given that a large tablet such as this is primary designed for use in this manner, and it is actually quite surprising that not a lot of tablet manufacturers do this when it comes to their large tablet offerings.

The remaining ports are in their typical positions, with the microUSB port on the right, the headphone jack up top, next to a large plastic flap that covers the microSD card slot and the SIM card slot, of course, with the latter available with the 4G LTE-enabled version of the device. Up front are the usual sensors, a front-facing camera, and a multi-colored notification LED, but of note is the dual front-facing speaker setup, denoted by tiny slits that are very inconspicuous to maintain the simplistic elegance of the Xperia Z4 Tablet.

Display

The display of the Xperia Z4 Tablet is one of the main attractions of the device, with the 10.1-inch IPS LCD screen (2560 x 1600 and a pixel density of 299 ppi) being an extremely sharp display that provides everything you’d expect from a device of this caliber. The display is bright, vivid, with great viewing angles, and good color saturation, allowing for a fantastic experience regardless of what you are using the display for, be it web browsing, reading, keeping up with social networks, gaming, or watching videos.

Given that this is a Sony device, you can also take advantage of Sony’s X-Reality engine for clearer, sharper, and more natural images, and there is also a Vivid mode that really increases the saturation for a more vibrant image with photos and video. More granular controls are also available, allowing users to make adjustments to the white balance, but it has to be mentioned that the default white balance and color temperature are already quite accurate, so you likely won’t have to make a lot of changes in this regard.

Performance

Under the hood, the Xperia Z4 Tablet packs an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor, clocked at 2 GHz, and backed by the Adreno 430 GPU and 3 GB of RAM. This processing package, despite some well-documented issues, is still one of the best out there, and that is easily seen when it comes to the performance of this tablet. The overall experience has been very fluid, with hardly any instances of lag or stutters. Opening, closing, and switching apps, multi-tasking, and navigating around the various elements of the UI have all been extremely smooth, and gaming on the Xperia Z4 Tablet is of no concern either.

Of course, the big question that will be on everyone’s mind is with regards to the known overheating issues that come up with the Snapdragon 810, but fortunately, this problem hasn’t come up with this device thus far. Given that tasks that usually generate a lot of heat, such as gaming and watching videos for a while, is what this tablet was primarily used for, the Xperia Z4 Tablet has done surprisingly well with keeping its cool.

Hardware

The Sony Xperia Z4 comes with 32 GB of on-board storage, which is further expandable via microSD card by up to 128 GB, and comes with a standard suite of connectivity options, including the availability of a 4G LTE-enabled version. Everything is kept protected from the elements as well, courtesy of its IP68 rating from dust and water resistance, which means that the device can be submerged in up to 1.5 meters of water for as long as 30 minutes without a negative impact on performance and usability.

There is also a big emphasis on audio with the Xperia Z4 Tablet, with device featuring built-in Hi-Res audio support for reduced distortion digital noise cancelling technology, that is capable of reducing exterior noise by up to 98%, when paired with DNC headphones. The Xperia Z4 Tablet can also optimize audio specifically for your ears, no matter what pair of headphones or earbuds you use, and all of this does make for a fantastic audio experience. The audio enhancements are applied automatically, but you do have the option to play around with the manual equalizer controls and surround sound effects to cater the listening experience exactly to your liking.

The great audio features continue with the dual front-facing speakers that the Xperia Z4 Tablet rocks. While you aren’t able to take advantage of any of Sony’s audio enhancements through these speakers, the quality even without it is still quite good, and significantly adds to the media-consumption experience. The speakers get loud, and everything remains crisp and clear throughout, with no signs of distortion even at the highest volume. This is easily one of the best speaker setups you can get a tablet right now, and this is one aspect where Sony, with its Xperia Z4 Tablet, is far ahead of the competition.

The Xperia Z4 Tablet features a large 6,000 mAh battery that has allowed for some quite impressive battery life. Using the tablet primarily for playing games and watching videos, the tablet still managed up to 6 hours of screen-on time in the 24 or 30 hours since being taken off the charger. The usage is significantly heavy in this case of course, and more casual use will provide a drastic increase in these numbers, so battery life is another area which should be of no concern to users.

Camera

Cameras have historically never been a standout feature of a tablet, and have always sort of felt like an afterthought, especially when compared to the cameras available with smartphones. The Xperia Z4 Tablet doesn’t do much to change the status quo, but does pack a decent camera package, with its 8 MP rear camera, and a 5 MP front-facing shooter.

The camera software is as you would expect from Sony, with its minimalist and user-friendly interface. Apart from standard modes like Superior Auto and Manual, there is also a bunch of novelty shooting modes included, like face in picture, sweep panorama, multi-camera, and AR effect. The usefulness of some of these modes is questionable, but they can be a lot of fun if you do choose to use them.

The picture quality, however, is exactly what you would expect from a tablet camera. Some decent shots are possible, and this camera should do fine in a pinch, but you’re in for some disappointment if you’re hoping to be able to replace your primary mobile photography device, be it a point and shoot camera or your smartphone. Lighting conditions play a big role in this case, with the best shots possible in well-lit environments, and with the level noise and loss of detail increasing as the lighting situation worsens.

Software

On the software side of things, the Xperia Z4 Tablet is running Android 5.0.2 Lollipop with Sony’s Xperia UI on top, which remains one of the best Android skins out there. While there are some noticeable differences from stock Android, such as the color scheme and the customizable application drawer, a lot of Material Design elements are intact, and together makes for a smooth and snappy software experience.

Many of Sony’s staple software add-ons are available here as well, such as Small Apps that allows for easier multi-tasking, and is a lot more useful on the large screen of a tablet with the additional real estate available, rather than on a much smaller smartphone. The Lifelog application is also included, which is great not only for tracking your fitness data, but also your general overall lifestyle, to see how much time you’ve dedicated to certain activities, like sleeping or listening to music, throughout your daily routine.

Like many other Sony mobile product, the Xperia Z4 Tablet also comes with PlayStation integration, allowing users to remotely play PS4 games directly on the tablet. This is definitely a huge selling point for PS4 owners, and is something that is very unique to Sony, which gives this device a huge leg up in the gaming department when compared to other tablets.

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Pricing and Final Thoughts

The official availability of the Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet in the US is yet to be announced, but the device is available via Amazon, with the price points currently at $699 for the Wi-Fi-only version, $729 for the 4G LTE version, along with another option that comes with an included Bluetooth keyboard, priced at $759, but keep in mind that these prices do tend to fluctuate.

So there you have it for this in-depth look at the Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet! Sony manages to once again tick off all the important boxes, with the device featuring a large beautiful display, thin and light design, fast performance, excellent software experience, Hi-Res audio, and PlayStation integration. Of course, there is no such thing as a perfect product, but Sony does come close with the Xperia Z4 Tablet. As mentioned, it has been a while since we’ve seen a truly compelling Android tablet in the market, but this device manages to go even beyond our expectations, which is very exciting. Granted, the price is towards the higher-end of the spectrum, but the Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet is certainly worth it.

Mainstream manufacturers such as Samsung, LG and HTC all offer handsets at the entry-level market, but these are usually designed with profits in mind, resulting in lower specs than is possible at the price tag. By comparison, carriers often offer better specs but couple them with large amounts of bloatware that ultimately results in a poorer experience.

Over the past couple of years, carriers in the UK have been progressively branching out by offering better handsets at reasonable prices (instead of focusing on an affordable price tag) and on paper, the Vodafone Smart Ultra 6 definitely achieves this by combining premium specs with a price point that should be affordable for all.

What does the handset bring to the table and is this a smartphone you should be considering as your next phone? Let’s take a look, in this in-depth Vodafone Smart Ultra 6 review.

Design

In terms of design, the Smart Ultra 6 definitely looks like a handset where the end goal was a reasonable price tag. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing in the context of the Smart Ultra 6 as a whole, it does mean that you’re left with a very uninspiring design that is essentially just a large grey slate with a couple of unique features.

Measuring 154 x 77 mm, the handset is definitely on the larger side, and at 8.4 mm thick, it’s one of the thicker handsets. Given the price tag though, it was unlikely we would get a smartphone that aims to rival the race to be the thinnest smartphone (which is currently the Vivo V5 Max at 4.75 mm thick).

The two unique parts of the Smart Ultra 6 design are both good and bad; on the positive side, the middle of the three capacitive buttons beneath the display is the home button which doubles up as a notification light by flashing when you have an unread item. On the other side however, the handset has a contoured edge which is definitely strange, as it is a unibody device and the contoured edge goes against the concept of a unibody design.

While the Smart Ultra 6 is definitely not the sleekest or most interesting looking smartphone, the design is functional and the 159 grams’ weight ensures the handset feels comfortable and sturdy in the hand. Despite the plastic rear that aims to look like metal from afar – which it doesn’t by the way – the handset is somewhat resistant to scratching and has a premium feel in the hand that you might not expect.

Overall, the Smart Ultra 6 design definitely meets the target that Vodafone were going for. A hybrid of the ZTE Blade S6 and Blade S6 Plus, the Smart Ultra 6 takes the best parts of ZTE’s smartphones and improves them to deliver an impressive, if uninspiring, design.

Display

One of the biggest positives on the Smart Ultra 6 specs list is the display as this is where Vodafone have set a new benchmark; the handset is affordable yet offers a Full HD display that many other handsets fail to offer at even higher price tags.

The 5.5-inch panel uses IPS technology and the Full HD resolutions delivers a very impressive 401 pixels per inch density. As a comparison, the Huawei Honor 6 Plus also offers a 5.5-inch Full HD display with the same pixel density, but costs more than double the price in the UK.

Like several affordable smartphones, Vodafone haven’t delivered a bezel free experience with large bezels all around the display resulting in a slightly less premium experience. This are a couple of very minor drawbacks as the 70.3% screen-to-body ratio is certainly higher than a lot of smartphones at this price point. The handset is definitely a fingerprint magnet but these are small issues that don’t detract away too much from the overall experience.

Overall, the Smart Ultra 6 display is certainly impressive as it is large and vibrant, which is even more surprising given the reasonable price tag. It’s not the best display on the market as sunlight legibility is a little suspect but overall, definitely impressive given the handset’s target market.

Performance

Under the hood is where the Smart Ultra 6 is slightly inferior to higher priced competitors (albeit not very much at all) as it is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor with four cores clocked at 1.5GHz and four more at 1.0 GHz. The handset is certainly not the fastest on the market but more than makes up for this with clever software optimisations and a healthy 2GB RAM.

The Smart Ultra 6 also comes with an Adreno 405 Graphical Processing Unit (GPU) and while there were certainly a few examples of slow game loading times and the odd missed frame in the middle of resource intensive games, overall graphics performance was certainly more than satisfactory. For most users, the processor, RAM and GPU will all be more than ample for daily usage.

One of the biggest decisions in the Smart Ultra 6 is the software as – apart from a few preloaded apps that can be disabled or uninstalled – Vodafone have opted for stock Android. In hindsight, the decision proves to be completely justified as the handset shows no signs of slow down even with lots of data installed and real-world performance in on-par with most flagship smartphones. The internal storage is 16GB with around 10-11 GB available to use and while this isn’t a lot, the microSD card slot will allow you to expand this as much as you need.

While most carrier branded handsets come with as much preloaded bloatware as possible, the Smart Ultra 6 bucks the trend and as a results, delivers performance and the Android experience as Google imagined it to be. If you’re looking for a low-cost handset that’s almost a blank slate for you to customise as you see fit, the Smart Ultra 6 is a good bet and is a shining example the experience that all carrier-branded devices (or any other smartphone really) should deliver.

Hardware

One of the key things that sets the Vodafone Smart Ultra 6 apart from the competition is the impressive specs list; most reasonably priced smartphones tend to be a result of several compromises in the various design stages but the Smart Ultra 6 has very few – if any – compromises in the impressive hardware.

The handset is LTE Cat 4 enabled offering download speeds of up to 150Mbps and upload speeds of up to 50Mbps when connected to a compatible network. The handset does keep locked to LTE fairly well and it has a strong antenna with very few examples of dropped calls and/or signal issues. The handset is surprisingly pleasant to use on a call as the earpiece speaker delivers rich sound that’s loud enough for most scenarios but the rear facing speaker leaves a little to be desired and can be muffled when held in your hand.

The handset comes with a 3000 mAh battery, which – despite the contoured edges which suggest otherwise – is non-removable, but the battery capacity itself is definitely commendable as it is on par with most premium smartphones. The large capacity is also reflected in the battery life, with the Smart Ultra 6 delivering an average of 14-16 hours with heavy usage on a single charge, including around four hours’ screen-on-time. For low users, the standby time is between three and four days and overall, the battery life should definitely be enough for all but the heaviest of users.

No compromises...

Carrier branded devices have usually compromised somewhere but looking at the Smart Ultra 6 specs list, it’s difficult to list one feature that’s a bad compromise. The handset doesn’t have all the features of a handset like the Galaxy S6 that costs nearly four times the price but this is to be expected and given the target market, the Smart Ultra 6 hardware is certainly impressive.

Camera

Smartphone cameras are proving to be ever important with manufacturers focusing on delivering not only a large megapixel count but also optimised algorithms to produce the best smartphone camera possible. Given the eventual price tag of the Smart Ultra 6, you could be forgiven for thinking that Vodafone have compromised on the camera but while that is somewhat correct, on a whole, the camera is adequate for most uses.

The handset sports a 13MP rear camera and uses the stock camera app to deliver an easy-to-use yet feature-rich interface. With a simple swipe next to the shutter button, you can switch between Manual, Auto and the various modes, which include the useful Filters, Multi-Exposure and HDR modes. Overall camera performance is pretty good and although some images do come out a little noisier than they seem in the viewfinder, the handset does produce images that should keep most users happy.

The 13MP camera also offers Full HD video capture at 30 frames per second and along with the ability to shoot at various resolutions, there’s also a time-lapse feature letting you create excellent videos from the handset and focus lock allowing to keep the camera locked on a particular subject when recording a video. When connected to the front 5MP camera, the video recording drops to a maximum of 720p HD but this still delivers good enough selfies and videos for most use cases, including video conferencing.

While the Smart Ultra 6 doesn’t have the most impressive camera, it does deliver a very practical and usable camera that produces impressive photos. Again it’s worth remembering that the price and target market of the Smart Ultra 6 mean the bells and whistles found in the camera on more expensive smartphones aren’t offered in order to keep the overall price tag reasonable. Compared to other handsets in the same target market, the Smart Ultra 6 has arguably the best camera in the low-end market.

Software

As mentioned, Vodafone have restrained from really developing the software on the Smart Ultra 6 and as long as you like stock Android, you’ll find the software meets your needs. Most carriers tend to add to the software experience – most of the time they add a lot of bloatware – but Vodafone’s decision ensures that performance is smooth and snappy.

The result of no additions apart from a few preloaded apps that can be disabled or uninstalled is that some things don’t seem quite right. Although this is a stock Android problem and not a Vodafone issue, the lack of customisation in the app drawer and the very basic home screen management may alienate Android users who are considering switching from an OEM device. This is a shame as the overall experience is otherwise very impressive and the stock software means the handset remains fast and punctual even after adding lots of data and applications.

One thing that might be a particular issue going forward is future updates as carriers are often quite slow with (or never bother to release) updates for their own-branded devices. Given that the Smart Ultra 6 runs Android 5.0.2 Lollipop out of the box, this isn’t necessarily an immediate problem but may become something of an issue when the next Android M OS is released towards the end of the year. One factor behind the decision to switch to stock Android over a customised ROM could be so that Vodafone are able to deliver timely updates but this remains to be seen.

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Pricing and final thoughts

Throughout this review, we’ve touched on the price tag but as yet, we haven’t revealed it and there’s a very good reason; the price tag is simply unbelievable. Considering that rivals such as the OnePlus One and Huawei Honor 6 Plus offer similar specs but cost between £250 ($390) and £300 ($470), the Smart Ultra 6’s price tag of just £125 ($195) without a contract is simply outstanding.

Most carrier branded devices aim to offer a relatively good experience at an affordable or reasonable price but do compromise in several places yet the Smart Ultra 6 doesn’t and instead, Vodafone have added the best specs that could possibly have been used while keeping the handset affordable.

Top Android Phones:

While it may not offer the marketing gimmicks and additional features that allow Vodafone to shout about the handset, the Smart Ultra 6 quietly and unassumingly goes about its role of providing an excellent experience and if you’re in the market for an affordable large-screen handset, look no further than Vodafone’s latest smartphone.

there’s a new king in town and the Smart Ultra 6 could have a long and fruitful reign

It may cost you $10-$15 to unlock it for use on any carrier but the price tag and feature set combine to deliver the most impressive low-cost smartphone experience ever made. Many thought the Motorola Moto G was the low-cost smartphone king but this has been dethroned as there’s a new king in town and the Smart Ultra 6 could have a long and fruitful reign.

The M1 Note has not been around for a particularly long time, but that hasn’t stopped Chinese OEM Meizu from releasing its successor. Does this latest low-cost offering from Meizu prove to be worthy of an upgrade? We find out in this detailed Meizu M2 Note review!

Design

Things largely remain the same between the M2 Note and its predecessor as far as the design language is concerned. The inspiration behind its aesthetics remains very obvious, down to the available color options. That said, the lack of creativity doesn’t translate to a poor design. The polycarbonate unibody design with a glossy finish and the rounded edges and sides at the back make for a device that feels great in the hand and sits nicely in the palm. The curves aren’t as prominent as seen with the M1 Note though, allowing for a better grip overall.

Going around the device, the volume rocker and the power button are found on the left side, which is a much appreciated change with regards to the power button, having been moved from its place at the top, as seen with the M1 Note. The buttons allow for a solid tactile feedback, and are all within easy reach. The dual SIM card and microSD card slot combo is on the opposite side. The headphone jack and the microUSB port are found at the top and bottom respectively, with the single speaker unit found next to the latter.

Apart from a few cosmetic changes and the shift in placement of the power button, the most notable change is the addition of a physical home button up front, replacing the circular capacitive key that also doubled as a notification LED. The new button no longer glows of course, but does provide a better navigational experience, with it acting as both a home button and a back button. Unlike its more expensive sibling though, the Meizu MX5, there isn’t a fingerprint scanner integrated into this tactile button though. Notifications are also now indicated by a traditional notification LED found above the display.

An incredible trend we’ve been seeing in the Android smartphone world is the fact that price is no longer entirely indicative of build quality, and that is certainly the case with this smartphone. The design may not be particularly unique, but the build quality is solid and certainly doesn’t feel cheap. And that goes beyond what the sub-$200 price tag of the Meizu M2 Note would suggest.

Display

The M2 Note retains the fantastic display of the original – its 5.5-inch IGZO display features a 1920 x 1080 resolution, resulting in a pixel density of 403 ppi, with everything protected by a Corning Gorilla Glass 3 panel. This display also brings with it everything we loved about the original, including excellent viewing angles and brightness, and with the colors even more vivid this time around.

There are a few additional aspects to the display as well, such as the adaptive brightness, which works well and is responsive to changes in the environment. There’s also a new system setting that gives you control over the color temperature, that can be useful given this display’s tendency to generally lean towards the warmer side of things.

As was the case with the M1 Note before it, Meizu continues to provide fantastic displays with even their low-cost offerings, and this screen is certainly the best we’ve seen when compared to other smartphones that fall in this price category.

Performance

Under the hood, the Meizu M2 Note packs an octa-core 64-bit MediaTek MT6753 processor, clocked at 1.3 GHz, backed by the Mali-T720MP3 GPU and 2 GB of RAM. What is quite odd is the fact that the processing package is actually clocked at a lower rate than what was found with its predecessor, even if the processor of the latter is older. This made the M2 Note feel slower than the previous iteration, which was also reflected in the benchmark scores, which were, on average, about 25% lower.

That said, general performance with the M2 Note is still quite good, even if not entirely at par with some of its direct competition. The availability of 2 GB of RAM is a big plus though, and multi-tasking is smooth. There is also a slight step back as far as the GPU is concerned, but the device is still able to comfortably handle most games without noticeable performance issues.

Hardware

The M2 Note comes with 16 GB or 32 GB storage options, further expandable via microSD card by up to 128 GB. It’s important to note though that the second SIM card slot of the device is what also functions as the microSD card slot, so it will be up to the user to choose between enjoying the benefits of expandable storage or dual SIM capabilities.

The device also comes with a standard suite of connectivity options, and also fixes some of the GPS issues faced by its predecessor, though there still is some room for improvement. The M2 Note also allows for high-speed internet access via 4G LTE, but a compatibility check with your local network carrier is recommended before buying. Unfortunately, the device is limited to HSPA+ on the AT&T and T-Mobile networks in the US.

The audio quality provided by the single speaker unit at the bottom of the device continues to be the same between generations, and while it does get fairly loud, some distortion is seen when set to the highest volume. As is also the case with any speaker found in this position, it is very easy to cover it while holding the phone in the landscape orientation.

On the battery front, the M2 Note packs a large 3,100 mAh unit, which allowed for a very impressive battery life; the device comfortably lasts through a full day even with some heavy usage. With the brightness set to auto and while using HSPA+ for most of the day, the device lasted for around 14 hours, with just over 4 hours of screen-on time, with usage that included taking a lot of pictures and using navigation for 20 minutes.

Camera

The Meizu M2 Note packs a 13 MP rear camera and a 5 MP front-facing shooter, which, at least on paper, is an impressive camera package for a device at this price point. The image quality is somewhat inconsistent though, as there are some misses along the way, in particularly related to issues with exposure. That said, some good shots are definitely possible, and the images feature good color and detail reproduction.

As far as the camera application is concerned, the interface is fairly simplistic, with an auto mode that is very easy to use. Surprisingly, there is a respectable amount of manual control available as well, that will allow you to truly cater the shot to your liking.

Software

On the software side of things, the Meizu M2 Note ships with the Flyme OS 4.5.1, a forked version of Android based on Android 5.1 Lollipop. As has been the case with previous iterations of this OS, Meizu does get a lot of things right, especially in its latest form, but a few flaws unfortunately happen to show up.

It’s important to note though that a lot of these issues are due to the fact that the intended market for this particular version of the device is China, and things should be a lot different when it makes it way to consumers in other international markets.

For example, as expected, there is no Google Play services available out of the box, and while there are a few Google Installer applications in the Meizu App Center, features like Google Now are still missing. The voice assistant and Drive mode system are both limited to Chinese, and there is also a slew of pre-installed Chinese applications that aren’t useful, unless you know Chinese that is. Luckily, these can be uninstalled, so they won’t be taking up any precious storage space. For now, users will also be limited to free features only, as you will be unable to purchase any music subscriptions, apps, or themes. Finally, the default keyboard isn’t very good for non-Chinese speaking users. As mentioned though, it will all be a very different story with the international version of the device.

Some other more general issues have to do with the launcher itself, which likely isn’t going to be any different with an international version. For starters, as we’ve seen before from various other Chinese OEMs and Meizu as well, an app drawer isn’t available, which can take some getting used to, and will leave you dependent on folders to keep things organized and avoid cluttered homescreens. The notification dropdown lacks a Settings shortcut, which means that the only way to get to the Settings is to find the app, which is also very watered down when compared to stock Android. The lockscreen also doesn’t display any notifications, which is actually a very surprising implementation, which definitely will require some adjusting to.

These negatives aside, there is a lot that is great with the software experience as well. For starters, the gesture wakeup feature is fantastic, and letter gestures can be customized and added to directly open a particular app, with the device executing everything very quickly. You also have the ability to choose which apps can be launched from the lockscreen with a swipe to the left or right.

The system apps are all beautifully designed, and the music app comes with a large collection of free to stream music. The Tips application is very useful, Smart Touch is a fun feature to use, and the device also packs power saving modes that go beyond what is offered with stock Android. Finally, the transitions between the various elements of the UI are consistent, and provide a very nice visual experience.

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Pricing and final thoughts

The Meizu M2 Note hasn’t seen an official release in the US and other markets outside China, but can be picked up on Amazon, priced at around $175, though the price does tend to fluctuate. Of course, checking for compatibility with your network carrier is highly recommended if you decide to pick this device up.

So there you have it for this closer look at the Meizu M2 Note! Since the M2 Note was released just a few months after its predecessor, there isn’t enough of a leap between generations to leave M1 Note owners upset. That said, the M2 Note does bring some improvements to what was already a good device, the most notable addition being the availability of microSD expansion, even if it involves sacrificing dual SIM capabilities.

A more refined look and feel certainly help, and the M2 Note continues the tradition of bringing quite a lot to the table at an extremely budget-friendly price tag. The competition in this space has been growing over the past year or so, but an international version of the Meizu M2 Note will certainly give all those a run for their money. While not without its issues, the M2 Note does stand out, by managing to shine in areas where many low-cost devices don’t.

]]>http://www.androidauthority.com/meizu-m2-note-review-626732/feed/11Sony Xperia Z3+ reviewhttp://www.androidauthority.com/sony-xperia-z3-plus-review-625850/
http://www.androidauthority.com/sony-xperia-z3-plus-review-625850/#commentsThu, 16 Jul 2015 19:13:06 +0000http://www.androidauthority.com/?p=625850It’s no secret that Sony has a had a tough go of it in the smartphone market, even giving rise to rumors of Sony withdrawing from the smartphone game entirely. A categorical denial of this rumor was followed up by the launch of the company’s latest flagship, the Sony Xperia Z4, in Japan. The device saw its global launch with a change in designation in tow, while otherwise completely identical to the original.

Does Sony manage to step up with their latest flagship offering? We find out, in this Sony Xperia Z3+ review!

Design

At first glance, you’d be hard pressed to find a whole lot different between this device and its predecessor, the Xperia Z3. It is slightly thinner and lighter than the latter, but the difference isn’t discernible easily. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as Sony devices do have some the best designs around, despite the way they tend to feel in the hand.

The phone’s exterior has everything you’d expect to find, with the buttons and ports in the usual places. Most of the buttons offer a nice, solid tactile feedback, apart from the standby button, which has a sense of looseness to it. Of note is the dedicated camera shutter button, which is always a much appreciated addition, and something we surprisingly don’t see enough of. Simply put, it changes the way you use the phone to take pictures, and what’s best, is that a half press can be used to focus, which is brilliant.

Sony’s signature design language and build quality returns with the Xperia Z3+, with its sharp and angular looks with slightly rounded corners and sides. Love it or hate it, this is a style that is very unique to Sony, and feels unlike much else. As far as the construction is concerned, the body contains a metal trim, but the retention of a glass back remains a questionable one. There’s no denying that the device looks great of course, but the use of glass means that there is a higher risk of damaging the device from accidental drops and bumps, further alleviated by the fact the glass makes for a very slippery device. You have to be very careful about the device slipping out of your hand, and even off of some flat surfaces.

Depending on what kind of device size you’re used to, the Xperia Z3+ can feel quite compact, with its angular design and thin profile lending to an awkward handling experience. The device falls within the realm of comfortable one-handed use as far as the size is concerned, but you then do have to be extra careful to avoid it slipping out of your hand. The other slight oddity comes with regards to the SIM card tray. Getting it out involves yanking it out using your fingernails, and if you tend to keep your nails trim, you may have a tough time with it, requiring you to depend on using a pin.

Display

The Sony Xperia Z3+ retains the same display as its predecessor, featuring a 5.2-inch IPS LCD display with a 1080p resolution, resulting in a pixel density of 424 ppi. The panel covers 130% of the sRGB spectrum, according to Sony, courtesy of their Triluminos technology. The display also comes with the X-Reality engine, that analyzes the image and adds contrast, saturation, sharpness, and more. This can help enhance the display viewing experience, but I did find it to get a little heavy handed.

Performance

Under the hood, the Sony Xperia Z3+ packs an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor, clocked at 2 GHz, and backed by the Adreno 430 GPU and 3 GB of RAM. As far as the performance is concerned, things remain as good as you’d expect from a current generation Android flagship. The device flies through the various elements of the UI, opening, closing, and switching between applications is smooth and snappy, multi-tasking is a breeze, and the device handles gaming incredibly well.

In my usage, the phone never skipped a bit, but unfortunately, there has been one standout issue as far as performance is concerned, and that is with regards to overheating. The overheating issues with the Snapdragon 810 are well documented, but it is disappointing to see that there isn’t a fix of some sort in place yet. Just browsing the net resulted in the device getting uncomfortably warm, but doing something strenuous results in very high temperatures of close to 70 degrees celsius.

Hardware

The Xperia Z3+ comes with 32 GB of on-board storage, which is further expandable via microSD card by up to 128 GB. The device also comes with the standard suite of connectivity options, including 4G LTE support, but it is recommended to check for compatibility with your network carrier before picking up the phone.

Of course, one of the highlights of the Xperia flagship line is the protection level it affords users with its IP68 rating, which means that apart from being resistant to dust, the device is water resistant, and can be submerged in up to 1 meter of water for as long as 30 minutes, without a negative effect on performance.

Sony is one of the very few manufacturers who also pay attention to audio, which is also featured with the Xperia Z3+, with its support for high-res audio. Basically, this allows for support of high-resolution audio formats that are encoded and sampled at a higher rate. There are various audio enhancers such as Clear Audio+, surround sound effects, and a plugin to help compressed audio sound as good as hi-res audio. However, it is okay to stay away from these, as they do tend to change the sound stage a little too much. Besides the HTC One series, the Sony Xperia Z3+ is one of the best devices I’ve used for audio.

The Xperia Z3+ packs a large 2,930 mAh battery, but the battery doesn’t impress quite as much. With heavy use, the device struggles to last a full day, and allows for around 3 hours of screen-on time. With lighter use, the battery life can be pushed to a full day, and maybe even further. There are a few battery saving features baked in, but it does cut down on the smartphone experience quite a lot, and is only something you can rely on in an emergency.

Camera

Nowadays, we all tend to end up using our phones as our primary imaging device, and as such, smartphones with a great camera experience are usually the preferred choice for a lot of users. The Sony Xperia Z3+ retains the same camera hardware as previous generations, with its 20.7 MP rear shooter with an Exmor RS sensor. Technical details aside, taking photos with this device is a dream, courtesy of the dedicated camera shutter button with its half press to focus function.

Looking at the images though, the quality isn’t going to blow you out of the water. Photos look good in adequate light, but things fall apart completely in poor lighting conditions, or when you zoom in. However, the color reproduction is accurate, and there doesn’t seem to be too much post-processing going on. Detail is impressive in well-lit shots, and the camera doesn’t continuously hunt for focus.

The camera software is one of the better implementations I’ve used, and is light years ahead when compared to stock Android. There is a manual mode available for both images and videos which includes some, but not a whole lot, of controls for adjustment. There are a few novelty modes available like AR, Sound Photo, Timeshift video, and more, which are fun to use and easily accessible for those who want it. A software-based image stabilization is available, called Steady Shot, which also works really well.

The Xperia Z3+ is capable of recording video in 4K, which is a fantastic feature to have, but unfortunately doesn’t work very often, because of the overheating issues with the device. Recording in 4K recorded at most around 20 seconds before the camera shut down automatically to help the device cool down.

Software

While everything the Sony Xperia Z3+ has to offer can be considered at par with the current crop of flagship smartphones, what makes Sony devices stand out in general is when it comes to the software experience. The best thing about using a phone from Sony is the integration across all of its services, which has been taken to a whole other level following the introduction of the PlayStation integration.

Custom applications like Music, Video, Social Life, and more, are all great, but one that I’m quite fond of is Lifelog. What this essentially does is catalogs and quantifies your day, and if you let it, it will give you data ranging from your calories and step count, to even how much time you’ve spent socializing, watching tv, and more. In typical Sony fashion though, the app doesn’t go as deep as it could, and there’s not a lot of information regarding how everything actually works.

If you have a PlayStation 4, you’ll definitely appreciate the inclusion of Remote Play, which allows you to use your phone to stream games. It works decently over a good Wi-Fi connection, even if playing first person shooters isn’t recommended. Making the experience even better is the ability to pair your DualShock controller with your phone, which is fantastic inclusion that is obviously unmatched by any other device.

All of this is wrapped in Sony’s minimalistic UI on top of Android 5.0.2 Lollipop, which makes for a very smooth and snappy software experience. Some features are available though, such as the gesture based Smart Call, that lets you answer a call by bringing it up to your ear, flip to silence, a theme engine, a customizable app drawer, and a lot more, which can prove to be very useful.

Specifications

Display

5.2 inch IPS LCD
Full HD, 424 ppi

Processor

2.0 GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810
Adreno 430 GPU

Storage

32GB, expandable via microSD up to 128 GB

RAM

3 GB

Networks

Cat 6 (300Mbps DL, 50Mbps UL)

Software

Android 5.0.2 Lollipop

Camera

20.7 MP rear camera with LED flash
5.1 MP front-facing camera

Battery

2,930 mAh

Dimensions

146 x 72 x 6.9 mm
144 grams

Gallery

Pricing and final thoughts

The Xperia Z3+ is currently available in various markets around the world, and has recently made its way to the US, available on Amazon for around $710, even though that price does tend to fluctuate.

So there you have it for this in-depth look at the Sony Xperia Z3+! Nowadays, it takes quite a lot to push a high-end smartphone to another level without doing completely different. Unfortunately, Sony may not do as well as the other Android OEMs out there, and that is really a shame, since there are quite a few die-hard fans of Sony devices. Their products are fantastic, but they just don’t seem to appeal to the mass market. That is something they can capitalize on though by catering to the niche market, by focusing on features such as audio, and the IP certification. There are some issues with this device, but it is nothing that cannot be fixed by future software updates, so if you are invested in the Sony ecosystem, then this phone could be great for you.

We’re in New York to see ZTE’s new and highly ambitious offering for the US market, the Axon. Combining a striking all-metal design with some of the finest specifications on the market, the Axon deserves your attention in and of itself. But ZTE seems decided to make this device a homerun, which may explain the Axon’s affordable price tag: $500 unlocked.

The Android arena is nothing if not competitive, so can a newcomer (even one with the massive might of ZTE at its back) take on heavyweights like Samsung Galaxy S6, HTC One M9, or the LG G4?

In this quick comparison, we look at how the ZTE Axon compares to LG’s leather-bound G4. Let’s get right to it!

Build quality and design

Two premium looking phones go toe to toe, but the similarities end there. The ZTE Axon stands out through its metallic unibody, which sports a striking design element in the styling of the frontal grilles and the camera panel on the back. While the Axon is relatively attractive, it’s not exactly an original appearance, at least not if you’re familiar with HTC’s 2011 flagship, the One X. The Axon seems to combine the One X’ general shape and grille placement with the metallic construction of the One M series. It’s up to you how you feel about it, but overall we think ZTE’s designers did a solid job.

On the other hand, we have the G4, with its smooth curves and natural leather backing. While some may find the prominent seam dividing the back of the G4 a bit gaudy, there’s no denying that leather is a premium material that just oozes personality. If the leather doesn’t catch your eye, the rear-mounted power button and volume keys just might. It’s a distinctive design element that offers some distinct functionality as well, as having the buttons on the back makes it easier to maneuver the 5.5-inch device.

Speaking of size, both phones have 5.5-inch displays, but due to its front grilles and generally larger bezels, the Axon is visibly larger than G4’s compact flagship. That’s not to say the Axon is unwieldy, though at 175 grams it’s not a light phone either.

The Axon features ZTE’s well-known “circle” home button, flanked by two capacitive keys, while the G4 uses on-screen navigation. One advantage that the Axon offers is the presence of a dedicated shutter button on the side, which is something that few Android smartphones feature these days.

Display

Both competitors offer 5.5-inch screens of Quad HD resolutions, resulting in pixel densities of 534 ppi. However, while the raw specs are similar, there are some differences in the underlying technology.

The LG G4 offers an IPS LCD display dubbed Quantum, which offers a wider color range compared to the previous generation of the G series, as well as more brightness. Looking at the G4’s display, it’s easy to see what LG is talking about: the colors just pop from the screen and there’s little to complain about.

The ZTE Axon is also LCD, but its particularity is the use of Continuous Grain Silicon technology, which increases electron mobility in the display and allows for a thinner and more efficient construction. From our experience with it, the Axon looks fantastic, with great colors, brightness and viewing angles.

Performance

ZTE is pulling no punches with the Axon, even if the decision to include the Snapdragon 810 processor may dismay some people. With that said, while HTC and Sony did have some apparent issues with the inclusion of the hot-tempered Snapdragon 810, there’s no guarantee the Axon will suffer the same fate. Performance-wise, there’s nothing to complain about here, though obviously our brief time with the device is not enough for any real judgement. The UI elements were animated without any stuttering and there was no lag in opening and switching between apps – the 4GB of RAM of the Axon certainly help in this regard, as we’ve seen with the Asus Zenfone 2 before it.

In the opposing corner, LG did not risk using the Snapdragon 810 on the G4, opting instead for the slightly slower Snapdragon 808, coupled with 3GB of RAM. LG’s UI is the fastest it’s ever been on the G4, and that is said to be a result of the optimization work that LG did in collaboration with Qualcomm.

Bottom line, these are two powerful devices that will offer great performance, but the Axon may hold the edge thanks to the extra RAM, especially in multi-tasking situations.

Hardware

In terms of storage, you get 32GB on both devices, but the G4 gets a lead thanks to the presence of a microSD card slot beneath the removable back plate. The Axon, in contrast, does not offer expandable storage, so you will have to rely on the cloud to supplement your 32GB of onboard memory.

ZTE touted the hi-fi audio playback capabilities of the Axon, but even if the dual grilles would have you believe otherwise, there’s only one speaker on the device, on the bottom side of the phone. Still, ZTE says you will be able to hear the difference that hi-fi audio makes, even when listening with a cheap pair of headphones.

The battery size on both phones is 3,000 mAh, but the unit on the G4 is user replaceable.

Camera

The Axon features a dual-camera setup that resembles the Duo Camera setup of the One M8 and other HTC devices, allowing the device to focalize better and faster, as well as offer features like post-shot refocusing. The two cameras are 13MP and 2MP respectively, and they are aided by a dual-LED flash and two microphones, which should eliminate ambient noise when recording in difficult conditions. Meanwhile, selfie lovers will want to hear about the 8MP front shooter. We’ll need time with the Axon to really appraise its camera, but at least on paper, things are looking good.

Things are also looking very good when it comes to the LG G4’s camera, with its laser-assisted focus system and impressive f 1.8 aperture lens allowing it to capture lots of ambient light. Optical image stabilization helps with low light photography and video, and, overall the G4 is one of the finest camera phones you can get right now.

Software

While ZTE phones destined for the Chinese market are not known for their polished and minimalist user interfaces, the situation is slightly different on the Axon. While there are some customizations, ZTE generally kept stock elements from Android 5.1, including the notification dropdown, the quick settings screen and more. There are a handful of pre-installed apps as well, including Argus and Map My Run.

LG chose to simplify the aesthetics of its UI, even if functionality remains relatively stuffy on the G4. There are some questionable features, but also several useful ones, like Knock Code and Multiwindow. LG also worked with Google to put its apps front and center on the device, as opposed to opting for its own apps.

Wrap up

The LG G4 and ZTE Axon are both great devices, but it looks like the newcomer will be able to give the G4 a run for its money, and more than that. At $500, the ZTE Axon is not exactly in the impulse buy territory, but for those who buy their phones unlocked the $150-$250 difference compared to other Android flagships can make a real difference.

We’ll reserve our full judgment for the review, but in the mean time tell us what are your thoughts on the Axon and how it compares with the LG G4?